1. Field
The present embodiments relate to panel systems and, more particularly, to wall panel systems.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
It has been common for homeowners to buy a home with unfinished rooms, such as basements, and then later to finish such rooms (e.g. when the homeowner's finances improve, or as the homeowner's family grows). It is also becoming more common for homeowners to specify that they want such historically unfinished rooms as basements in new houses finished at the time the houses are built. Builders are often reluctant to finish the basements of new residential constructions, however, because there is always a greater level of uncertainty during the first several years of a new construction's life as to whether foundation cracks or other problems will arise, and the existence of a finished basement generally makes repair of such defects more costly for the builder.
Conventional systems for finishing rooms such as basements include attaching a framework to a masonry wall, and panels are attached to the framework by complementary hook and loop fasteners. In these hook and loop systems spaces exist between the panels and the framework to allow removal of the panels from the framework. These spaces may allow cold air, water and other unwanted substances from entering the finished portion of the room.
Other paneling systems use rigid support panels that provide a relatively hard wall surface that is likely to be acoustically reflective over a wide midrange of frequencies (such as those common in human speech, television programs, etc.) and thus can tend to provide little acoustical insulation benefit. These rigid panels are held in place with screw attachments that can be relatively time consuming to install, require additional time to cover to form an acceptably attractive wall surface, and make it difficult to achieve a nondestructive modular system in which wall panels can be easily removed and replaced.
Other conventional paneling systems include padded panels where the padding is secured to a rigid backing with tufting buttons. The tufting buttons are then secured through the padded cover to the backing layer such that the outer surface of the panel has a tufted configuration to provide a unique visual relief. The panels are preferably secured to each other by a plurality of dowel pins frictionally fitting into holes in the frames. These panels require a large number of steps to manufacture, and appear to be relatively time consuming to install, due to the need to interconnect the panels with dowel pins.
Still other conventional finishing systems include attachment of wood studs roughly every 16 to 24 inches to a cinder block or masonry wall and the attachment of a wall surface such as drywall or paneling to the wood studs by attachment means such as nails or screws. Generally, insulation such as glass fiber insulation batts are placed between the wall and the wall surface before attachment of the wall surface to the wood studs, or a granular or loose-fill fibrous insulation is poured or blown in to the space between the wall and the wall surface after the wall surface is attached to the wood studs.
Some wall finishing systems have modular panels that are inserted into frame members. The frame members are attached to the wall and have a snap in connector for retaining the panels against the frame members. These modular panels have a fabric covering that extends over the front, top, bottom and sides of the panel. Other modular paneling systems include a vapor barrier on the back side of the panel.
The above mentioned conventional wall finishing techniques/systems do not provide protection from, for example, water entering the interior of the room finished with the paneling as the panels are not compatible with the small gaps used in typical drainage systems. In addition, the panels or wall surfaces of these conventional wall systems allows water to enter the panels which may cause mold growth and/or deterioration of the panel as well as allowing water to drip on a floor beneath the panel. Other panels made of thin plastic sheets have been tucked into drainage systems but these plastic sheets are not insulated and no not provide a thermal break.
It would be advantageous to have an decorative and insulative wall paneling system that provides a water barrier for the living area created by the paneling system as well as a water barrier for the panel itself. It would also be advantageous to have a decorative wall paneling system that drains any moisture that may build up between a wall and the panels.